New Delhi: India may impose anti-dumping duty on certain kinds of uncoated paper from Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore for three years to protect interest of domestic companies against cheap shipments.

The commerce ministry's investigation arm directorate general of trade remedies (DGTR) has recommended the duty after establishing in its probe that the dumping of uncoated paper from these countries are having impact on domestic players.

The West Coast Paper Mills, Tamil Nadu Newsprint, Papers Ltd, Ballarpur Industries and JK Paper had filed an application before the directorate for initiation of the anti-dumping investigation.

The DGAD in its probe has concluded that the product has been exported to India from these countries below their normal values and consequently, the domestic industry has suffered material injury.

It said in a notification that material injury has been caused by the dumped imports of the goods from these countries during the period of investigation. This paper is used as a photocopy or copy paper. "The Authority recommends imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty...on the imports of the subject goods, originating in or exported from these countries, for a period of three years" the DGTR has said.

The directorate has recommended anti-dumping of difference between the landed value of the product and USD 855 per tonne.

The finance ministry will take the final call on the imposition of the duty.

The move is aimed at protecting domestic players in the sector against cheap imports.

The period of probe would be April 2016-June 2017 (15 months). Countries carry out anti-dumping probe to determine whether their domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.

As a counter measure, they impose duties under the multilateral regime of WTO. The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practises and creating a level-playing field for domestic producers vis-a- vis foreign producers and exporters.